


Below and Behind

by hitmewiththatfanart33



Series: Sanders Sides Oneshots [8]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Remus is mentioned, Unhappy Ending, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24834343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitmewiththatfanart33/pseuds/hitmewiththatfanart33
Summary: Janus locks himself in his room after the courtroom fiasco, and Logan comforts him.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides Oneshots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796293
Comments: 1
Kudos: 57





	Below and Behind

Logan waved his hand so that Deceit's bedroom door replaced his closet one. Where things were located didn't matter in the mind palace, for none of it was tethered to a specific place or connected, it was just wherever you imagined it to be. Though usually they tried to keep the commons, kitchen, and hallway to the rooms in the same place. But that was besides the point. He gave a gentle knock.

Nothing. He jiggled the handle to find it locked. Of course. After what had happened in the court room today— in the whole video, in fact, he didn't blame him. Even if he was still upset about being impersonated and left out. "Deceit, unlock the door," he softly instructed.

"Go away," he croaked. A usually silky voice turned hoarse. It was cruel.

"My resolve is strong. I'm not leaving," he stated. He had a lot of sympathy, perhaps even empathy, for the person on the other side of the door. They understood each other a lot better than all the others.

"Oh shut up. You're just like us, you know. Self-preservation and all that. You even wear black. The only reason they listen to you, the only reason you're a hero, is because you got to play the teacher in Thomas' stupid vines!" Deceit ranted.

Logan wasn't phased in the slightest. Everything he said had some form of truth to it. And when he had said Logan was listened to, he hadn't been lying, which brought him comfort. He understood emotions caused you to lash out, and he was certain he could have Deceit talking if given just a few more minutes.

The door returned to simply being his closet, and Logan let out a frustrated groan. He marched out of his room, and sunk down to the part of the mind palace Remus constructed when it was clear Roman didn't want him and "the dark sides" in "his" part of the mind. Deceit's room was directly beneath his, but Logan was locked out so he couldn't simply sink beneath his own room. It could _never_ be **that** easy. So here he stood in front of the same door, in a hallway just as nice as theirs with a darker color scheme and some of Thomas' favorite messed up paintings.

"Don't make me get Thomas to let me into your room," Logan threatened. Then he sighed. "At least talk to me... Please, Dae," Logan begged.

He never begged for anyone, or showed any vulnerability really. But with Deceit, it was different. He could sense his lies, and that made him feel safe and trust him. With anyone else it was always emotions or lies he couldn't detect. With Deceit however, they were made to be each other's weakness, and there was a thrill to that. Logan didn't have weaknesses. Still, when they said keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Logan was sure they didn't mean this.

If only there weren't a door between them.

He sighed, idly admiring the Van Gogh painting of a skeleton smoking a cigarette across from him. He didn't remember the exact name, but it was along the lines of simply stating what was painted. Logan liked that. It was very logical and straightforward. Even he, who usually didn't understand it, had an appreciation for art.

"Why do you call me day?" Deceit asked, avoiding the topic that brought the facts outside his door.

Logan slid down the wood to feel closer to the suave one. He leaned his head where he liked to imagine that Deceit's was on the other side. It was soothing in a way. To be closer to the lies and feel them vibrating around in his skull felt... unexplainable (in a good way.)

"...The scientific name for pythons is Pythonidae," he confessed. He felt a tad bit nerdy, but it didn't matter. "And until you stop saying your name is Madonna, I know you as Deceit, which also starts with a D. So your nickname for now is Dae," Logan explained, bringing up light memories.

_He approached the one with the hat before he could reach his room. He seemed surprised that Logan had followed him to the "dark territory", but immediately covered it with a sly smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Logan?"_

_He cleared his throat, not knowing how to express his... admiration for the side. The hands that fidgeted behind his back moved to adjust his glasses. "I thought your approach to trying to get Thomas to listen today was very clever. I hardly sensed you," he related._

_Deceit seemed thrown-off. A light side complimenting him? Never in a million years did he expect that to happen. He turned bright red under the shade of his dark hat that made his ears stick out cutely. "Tha—ank you," he forced out the truth._

_"You're welcome. It's okay to lie. I can sense them when you're in this form. It feels... interesting," Logan permitted._

_"Why are you being civil with me?" Deceit inquired with a raise of his eyebrow, and a few steps forward. He was leaned towards Logan with his hands interlaced behind his back. Logan swallowed at the smooth motion and proximity._

_"I've always... admired you. No one else around here can match my level of intelligence, and you seem to share my love of philosophy. I don't see why I wouldn't be civil. You've done nothing wrong," he explained, managing to keep his cool with the other side practically backing him against the wall._

_"It doesn't bother you that I'm your one weakness? Well... besides Crofters," he teased. His hand was now on the wall beside Logan's head, where they both respectively leaned casually._

_"It thrills me," Logan stated bluntly._

_Deceit leaned back, puzzled. "You... aren't lying," he acknowledged, more as a question._

_"I have no reason to conceal the truth. You would be able to tell anyways," Logan shrugged._

_"Well then, you'll make a formidable opponent," he commented, still flustered._

_"I was thinking more companions than opponents, but I wouldn't mind a debate or strategy game..." Logan suggested, checking his nails in the way Deceit senselessly did with his gloves. It made him feel quite smug._

_"Saturday at six? I **definitely don't** have some gruesome documentaries we could watch as we play chess. Nor do I posses wine and decent cooking skills," Deceit divulged. He liked this one. _

_"Sounds adequate," he agreed. It sounded much more than adequate... It sounded like Roman's equivalent of Disney World. He observed the one in front of him in a new light, taking in the unique features he chose when Thomas wasn't around._

_These sorts of exchanges were usually sealed with a kiss, correct? If he was reading the conversation and body language correctly, that was. It seemed reasonable enough, so he pulled him forward by his shoulder drape and claimed the liar's lips as his. His glasses bumped against his new companion's face, but other than that, the action supplied him with a surprising amount of dopamine. Deceit kissed back firmly after his moment of shock wore off._

_When he released, the suction sensation sent him mentally spinning. Deceit seemed to be trying to pull himself together. Was that a good or a bad thing? "Was that not the appropriate course of action?" Logan inquired. He knew very well what he did._

_"It was **horrible** ," Deceit lied with a smile. _

_"Good. Saturday it is... What's your name? I'd prefer calling you something other than Deceit," Logan implored._

_"Madonna," he teased. So Logan wouldn't be getting his name... He'd find out sooner or later._

A breathy chuckle through the wood brought him out of his thoughts. It was filled with exhaustion from tears, something anyone but Logan would think him incapable of. And Logan wanted nothing more than to change that. He had been right next to him as Roman twisted his words to make him seem bad. Right next to him as he teared up and desperately cried out "no", trying to get Thomas— anyone— to listen.

He knew he should have spoken up. The only reason he didn't was because they didn't listen to him either. And if he defended what they thought was evil, how could he ever seem credible after that? He had also felt a little betrayed at how Deceit had put him to the side, but he understood that he wouldn't have even gotten the chance to defend himself if Logan had been in Patton's place. They were opposites after all.

"Look, I apologize for not being completely on your side today. It just wasn't the best way to go about solving this. And neither was Patton's way. I just wish we could have come up with a better solution, but it was so complicated... And there's just no arguing with Patton," he spilled.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have kept you on the side. I might have even done better with you helping... I just didn't think you'd agree, and I— I didn't want to fight with you," he admitted.

Logan accidentally banged his head against the door. Didn't want to fight him... of course. He had already forgiven Deceit, but now he forgave him even more. He actually felt... grateful. He didn't want to fight Deceit either.

"Lo... you okay?" He gently asked.

"Fine. Accidentally hit my head..." The locked-in one hummed in understanding. Logan continued, "It isn't fair how they twisted your words, how they didn't listen. Maybe if they saw how much you— **that's it**!" He came to an epiphany of sorts.

"What is?" The snake asked in confusion. Logan's idea seemed random for anyone not inside his head.

"I have an idea that will help the both of us with the listening problem," he divulged. He may be considered a light side, but he could be wicked.

"Continue..." Deceit permitted curiously.

"You protect Thomas by keeping yourself and the others hidden, thus under control, correct?" He didn't wait for an answer, instead going on a Sherlock-like rant. "If Thomas were to see how much you've been doing to protect him, at the same time dealing with someone seemingly worse, you won't be such a quote-unquote problem anymore. And Remus is no big threat. However, they don't know that. He's terrifying with his illusions, yes, but as Logic, I can easily see through them and take them down. Thus we're both heroes of sorts. Heroes get listened to because they're the only ones who know what to do!"

He felt like he had just easily cracked the code to life itself. Now all he need was Deceit's reaction. His agreement to the plan for them to be heard. Together. "Logan... I— are you sure the risk is worth it?" He asked with a sigh, truly considering this.

"I cannot give you an exact percentage at the moment, but yes. I'm pretty sure," he replied.

"Then I'll do it," he agreed. "I'll make sure they listen to you."

The promise rang true in his head, send chills along his arms. "And you as well," Logan returned. He wished Dae would open the door so badly.

"Ask me what my name isn't," Deceit murmured almost too quietly for him to hear.

Logan was smart enough to quickly know what he meant. He was actually going to tell him... The liar who couldn't trust anyone but himself was actually going to entrust his natural weakness with his name. How ironic. "What is the one name that isn't yours?" He spoke it with a tenderness like he was holding a fragile baby bird.

He pressed his ear firmly against the door to catch it, heart swelling when it was spoken. It was very fitting for him. Logan would have trouble calling him anything else from now on. "Perfect," he whispered. "Can you let me in now?"

" _No_ ," he lied, already struggling to get up to unlock the door.

Logan felt a pull, and hissed in pain as he resisted it. Why did they always need him when he didn't want to be needed? There were plenty of times he was waiting around to give input and they didn't want him then, so why now? Horrible timing.

"Logan?!" Deceit fumbled with the lock.

"I'm being called. I'll come back later. I promise," he announced. He popped up, too soon to hear the muffled 'I love you' from behind the door.


End file.
